Located at 60 Baxter Street in the Nicholtown Community, Annie’s House was built in partnership with Genesis Homes and completed in early 2015. Annie’s House a model of an affordable, highly efficient home. It shows the public the feasibility and benefits of living more simply and sustainably. The home and grounds serve as an education center, demonstration site, and a base of operations for Sustaining Way.
Annie's House
Demonstration Site
Some of the current sustainable practices demonstrated on-site include:
Youth & Adult Development
Steward Youth Program
A multi-tiered strategy aimed at reaching youth with varying interests and commitment levels. The curriculum focuses on the six areas of sustainability. If you want to schedule an educational event with Sustaining Way, please click here.
- Steward Education provides a sustainability and leadership curriculum for K-12 students.
- Steward Fellows is a six-to-seven-week paid summer internship program that provides sustainability education, workforce development, and personal growth opportunities for rising ninth through twelfth graders at Annie's House and the surrounding community.
- Steward Leaders is an intensive year-round program that provides hands-on education to selected youth who are passionate about sustainable community development and want to drive change in their community.
Before filling out a form, please note the following:
- We can support groups of up to 50 individuals during times not overlapping with our recurring garden workdays, up to 15 individuals during times overlapping with our recurring garden workdays, and have no required minimum number of individuals.
- Our group events are family-friendly, though all minors must accompany someone at least 18 or older.
- Group form submissions for groups larger than 12 individuals should be submitted no later than two weeks before the preferred date.
Community Coordinator Program
The coordinator is a paid, full-time, rotating development position at Annie’s House. The coordinator works with our partners to serve as a community advocate and shows the feasibility of living more sustainably. They build relationships with residents, work to understand community needs, and address those needs sustainably through direct support or connecting residents with our partners. Through this work and our professional development program, coordinators gain the skills and confidence to become community leaders upon program completion. Please complete our job interest form if you are interested in the coordinator or other adult development positions.
AmeriCorps VISTA Program
AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), part of the broader AmeriCorps network, is a national service program in the United States.VISTA members commit to a year of full-time service to address poverty-related issues through capacity-building projects with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and community groups. They focus on empowering and strengthening communities by improving education, increasing economic opportunities, and enhancing access to healthcare and other essential services. Sustaining Way is a VISTA Sponsor Organization. We rotate the AmeriCorps positions every year. Please complete our job interest form to apply for an AmeriCorps VISTA position.
Food Security
Food Distribution
Sustaining Way partners with local farms and Project Host Food Truck to provide hot meals, fresh produce, and resources to Nicholtown residents. This occurs every Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Hope Church parking lot next to the Nicholtown Community Center. We hope that by providing healthy food, we will ease some of the stress on the Nicholtown community and meet the needs of food-insecure community members.
Backyard Garden Program (BYG)
Through hands-on experience in their backyards, individuals learn about the environmental benefits of localized food systems. The Backyard Garden Program improves access to fresh, seasonal, culturally significant foods and educates participants on agroecological practices like native planting and composting. Individuals can also attend Gardening Workshops to supplement their learning and connect them to other participants. Please get in touch with us to provide materials or other support for BYG. Or, if you are a member of one of our focus communities (Nicholtown and New Washington Heights) and are interested in a backyard garden, apply here.
Energy
Energy Home Visits
Sustaining Way launched the Energy Home Visit (EHV) Program in early 2022 to build on our previous energy efficiency work, specifically the weatherization of 1,000 homes with our partners in 2019. This program offers free energy efficiency evaluations and basic upgrades of Nicholtown residents’ homes while providing practical actions and tips for homeowners to lower their energy bills.
Please contact us to provide materials or other support for EHV. If you are a member of one of our focus communities (Nicholtown and New Washington Heights) and are interested in the Energy Home Visit program, you can apply here.
Healthy Home Visits
In response to Hurricane Helene, Sustaining Way is launching the Healthy Home Visit (HHV) Program. We aim to use this program to address the water and flood damage left behind in the communities we serve. We will help remediate microbial hazards, educate residents, and promote healthy living environments. Overall, this program represents a chance to restore safety and hope, ensuring no family is left behind in building a healthier, more resilient future. To see if you're eligible for remediation on your home or to apply to work in this program, click here.
Community Health
Nicholtown Community Health Initiative (NCHI)
The NCHI has four focus areas, each with a team working toward a specific goal in the Nicholtown community. The community chose the four focus areas based on feedback from the Community Health Survey. They include energy burden, food security, mental health, and personal health. We are working with residents, community partners, and staff to reach these goals by sharing resources, hosting events, and engaging with the community.
Other Activities
- Community forums
- Educational discussions about relevant and important topics in the Nicholtown community. These events are free to the public. The frequency, date, and location vary. Check our website or social media accounts, or email us at hello@sustainingway.com for more information on the next community forum.
- Community Garden Program
- Sustaining Way is educating, mentoring, and providing resources needed for residents in Nicholtown to grow more of their food. This effort includes multiple community gardens and the expansion of our Backyard Garden Program.
Interested in sponsoring a program? Please email hello@sustainingway.com for more information.
Gardening Workshop Topics
General Gardening Resources
- Clemson Extension
- ChipDrop (free mulch dropoff)
- Seed Library (10 free seed packets with library card)
- Farmers' Almanac
Sustaining Way Provides
Contact us for assistance!
Program Expansion: Healthy Lifestyles & Healthy Foods
As part of Sustaining Way’s “5 In 5” Strategic Plan, our organization launched a biweekly food distribution program in the Southside of Spartanburg to address the persistent food insecurity that has historically impacted the community. The Southside has long endured the harsh reality of a continuous food desert, and Sustaining Way responded with action.
Since Spring 2023, Sustaining Way Spartanburg has distributed fresh, locally grown, restaurant-quality produce to over 15,000 families, supporting healthy eating and lifestyles. This initiative directly contributes to reducing hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, chronic health concerns often linked to food insecurity. This transformative approach to food security has allowed Sustaining Way to expand programming and collaborate with a growing network of community partners.
Community Partnerships & Food Security Initiatives
Through meaningful collaboration, Sustaining Way has developed food security programming alongside key local organizations, including:
- Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church
- Spartanburg NAACP
- Spartanburg Pan-Hellenic Council (representing the nine historic African American fraternities and sororities)
- Grass Roots Leadership Development Institute (GLDI) Alumni Association (a Spartanburg County Foundation program)
- Neighborhood and ministerial associations
This program initially focused on providing nutrient-dense, culturally appropriate produce to senior citizens, ensuring those on fixed incomes do not have to choose between purchasing food, medication, or paying utility bills. No one should be forced to make such choices simply to survive.
Sustaining Way filled the gap by addressing the five-square-mile Southside Spartanburg Food Desert, and soon expanded to serve other distressed areas across Spartanburg. Through a centralized distribution site at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, Sustaining Way has provided fresh produce to households in:
Campobello, Landrum, Inman, Wellford, Duncan, Cowpens, Green Bethel, Chesnee, Una, Saxon, Arcadia, Arkwright, Hampton Heights, Cannon Campground, Pacolet, and Park Hills.
Expanding Sustainability Initiatives
In Fall 2024, Sustaining Way was invited to collaborate with Wofford College’s new Sustainability Program, strengthening ongoing efforts in community-based water quality testing. Sustaining Way developed three distressed community sites for water testing, conducted by Wofford College students and staff.
This collaboration also launched a community guest lecture series, with SW’s Executive Director Michael Brown serving as one of the first lecturers. The initiative provides students—tomorrow’s sustainability leaders—with a direct up-close perspective on frontline communities urgently in need of equitable revitalization through sustainability practices.
Leadership & Policy Engagement in Spartanburg
Sustaining Way has built dynamic working relationships with local stakeholders and decision-makers, with direct participation from Spartanburg’s political leaders:
- Spartanburg District 7 School Board Trustee James Jones
- Spartanburg City Councilwoman Ruth Littlejohn
- Spartanburg County District One Representative Monier Abusaft
- Former House District 31 State Representative Brenda Lee Pryce
- Spartanburg Mayor Jerome Rice
With the City of Spartanburg, Sustaining Way actively fosters community gardens, household gardens, and edible landscapes to strengthen food security. Additionally, SW collaborates with SPACE (Spartanburg Area Conservancy) to promote land preservation, culminating in the recent announcement of one of the state’s largest land conservation efforts.
Sustaining Way is currently developing a field practicum and guide for disaster risk reduction, response, and recovery across the Una, Arcadia, and Saxon communities. SW is also expanding partnerships with Regenesis Community Center and participating annually in Community Health Awareness Day (CHAD).
Healthy Lifestyles & Youth Mentorship
Sustaining Way is a proud MBK-Spartanburg (My Brother’s Keeper-Spartanburg) Community Mentoring Partner, supporting holistic wellness through:
- Active exercise, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, camping, kayaking
- Food distribution volunteerism
- Healthy eating and cooking practices
With dedicated personnel—including a resident SC Certified Community Health Worker (also ServSafe™ certified) and a Community Engagement Coordinator AmeriCorps VISTA—Sustaining Way is leading efforts to promote healthy living opportunities across Spartanburg.
Sustaining Way is currently partnering with the Daniel Morgan Technology Center to develop raised garden beds for senior residents at J.C. Bull and Heritage Courts Senior Living Residences. This project is a collaboration with Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church Pack #106 Eagle Scout Program.